“Role Theory,” Political Science, and African Studies

Numerous studies of role, employing diverse methodologies in a wide range of social contexts, have accumulated in the social sciences over many decades. The concept of role retains considerable appeal for some who still pursue the goal of a unified theory of behavior for the social sciences, and for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:World politics 1980-01, Vol.32 (2), p.311-330
Main Author: Magid, Alvin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AFRICA
CONFLICT
DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
POLITICAL THEORY
POLITICS AND ADMINISTRATION
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Review Articles
ROLE, REFERENCE GROUP, CROSS-PRESSURES
SOCIAL CHANGE
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Summary:Numerous studies of role, employing diverse methodologies in a wide range of social contexts, have accumulated in the social sciences over many decades. The concept of role retains considerable appeal for some who still pursue the goal of a unified theory of behavior for the social sciences, and for many others who discern in the role perspective a major source of concepts and insights on which they may draw eclectically for all manner of social research. Since the 1950s, and especially during the current decade, political scientists have produced studies of role and of role conflict focusing on political and administrative actors caught up in the process of change in various independent African states. Because die number and diversity of these studies are likely to increase in the future, they merit description and evaluation as a group. Both objectives are pursued in this article, with particular reference to three works on politics and administration in Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania.
ISSN:0043-8871
1086-3338
DOI:10.2307/2010025